On Labor Day of 2018, the Jamesville Dewitt students of the class of 2020 winced at the threatening clouds which were approaching in the distance. Simultaneously, the temperature was dropping at a rapid pace. It was an expected storm that required a decade of preparation in order to guarantee a successful survival. It was a storm of various phases that would carry on until for numerous months. It was a storm of progression that followed a strict pace. The first three months of the storm was of little to no bother to the students. The raindrops of generic homework, simple tests, and instructive guidance fell gently upon the minds of the students. By the time the New Year approached, the droplets of rain had swelled into convoluted curriculum material, taxing obligations, and intimidating thoughts about the future. Even worse, the month of February brought increasingly violent winds which swept in mundane standardized tests, assessments that would occupy a large percentage of a yearly average, and additional pressing responsibilities. To top things off, a blinding bolt of lightning and a chilling clap of thunder carried with them the anxiety-provoking AP exams at the start of May.

What had seemed to be an everlasting whirlwind of a storm abruptly ceased on the evening of May 11th, 2019 when the junior class gathered at prom in order to witness a notable night under the glistening stars.

The clear sky allowed for the attendees to gaze at the seven planets and the sun of the solar system, all of which were suspended in the dim-lit lobby outside of the auxiliary gym. A black hole that marked the entrance to the gym pulled the guests forward as they entered the school. While the ten-foot-long starless walkway into the gym mirrored the common belief of the emptiness within a black hole, what existed on the other side disproved the belief of pure emptiness. After the thick fog which greeted guests within the black hole the entrance had vanished, the cloudless setting exposed the true decorativeness of the world in which prom existed.

To the far right rested a variety of appetizing food items, mouthwatering candy, and refreshing beverages. Out of all of the provided refreshments, the sweet, blue rock candy proved to be the most popular item of the night. In fact, it was a rarity to come across an individual by the end of the night whose tongue was not a dark shade of blue. Neighboring the snacks, an asteroid belt of tables and chairs floated in an organized fashion. Additionally, shoes, phones, bags, and other personal items acted as the space junk of the asteroid belt by littering the area. Such items would not float in the void of space for the rest of eternity, for their owners were just meters away on the dynamic dancefloor.

“It was a great atmosphere; There were a lot of guests.”

Jack Carmen ’20

In the minds of some, prom acted more like a three-hour dancing and singing party rather than a formal event. “God’s Plan, “Cha Cha Slide,” “Old Town Road,” and “Cotton-Eyed Joe” constitute only a fraction of the infectious tunes that fueled the guests with enough energy to travel to the moon and back. The spirit which radiated among the guests provided for several memorable moments. For instance, the dance battle in which winner Ike Okereke won victoriously is just one of the numerous happenings of the night that has been cemented into the minds of all of the guests. Luckily, a photo booth with witty props stood just footsteps away from the outskirts of the thrilling crowd in order to capture any given moment in a snapshot.

“It was a great experience overall; Everything went perfect.”

Gabby O’Hara ’20

After people’s feet began to cramp, the food started to deplete, and voices appeared to become hoarse, prom emitted its final twinkles when the Class of 2020 Prom King and Prom Queen, Connor Durkin and Erica Schwedes, shared an intimate dance.

The class of 2020 holds a group of students who do not accept traditional standards. Therefore, the class of 2020 would not agree to a prom that represented nothing more than an annual, generic event in which every junior class participates. That being said, the class of 2020 altered the tone of the occasion so that it mirrored their unparalleled traits. Throughout the night, students who may have never interacted with each other formed mutualistic relationships in order to produce an extraordinary time for all. Throughout the night, the students of 2020 unified side by side to gape at the promising stars of the future after consciously recognize the compelling bond which they had formed with each other through shared struggles.

A note from the Junior Class Officers:

This year’s prom will indeed show up in the history books of the Jamesville Dewitt community. What this prom truly succeeded in was its accurate reflection of the mixture of amusement and integrity that our grade uniquely possesses. A prime factor which enabled our prosperous prom to occur was the assistance from each and every one of you throughout the process. Whether it was helping with the construction, adding to the fundraising efforts of the grade, lending a hand in the cleanup effort, supplying your personal inputs on the event, or simply attending the prom, your contributions were heard. Our mutual work ethic does not only apply to this single isolated instance. Our mutual work ethic will continue to turn out well as we strive for a fruitful senior year.

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